


Love Interruption

by johnnysmitten



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Mechanic!Bard, Reunions, Unrequited Love, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-05-08 09:36:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5492396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/johnnysmitten/pseuds/johnnysmitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'We used to be friends, then you became a dick and now you're standing in front of me and I can hardly believe it's you'</p><p>Barduil Reunion AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, here we go! I've been planning this for a while. I really wanted an AU where Bard and Thranduil used to be really good friends but then they had some sort of fall out and stopped talking, only to be reunited when they least expect it.
> 
> There will be fluff, smut and angst. I'll try to keep the angst light, since it seems i'm always writing angst. Bring on the fluff! :)

The morning started out the same as any other day in the Bowman household. Bard forced himself out of bed with a lethargic sigh as his phone alarm blared some annoying pop song from the top of his dresser on the other side of the room. Months ago, Sigrid had changed the sound of his alarm because he could never get up without ending up in a rush to get the kids to school on time. She justified that if it was a song he hated, he would be more likely to wake up wanting to turn the bloody thing off. She was right about that. He couldn’t stand that damn Taylor Swift song.

Bard rushed to his ensuite bathroom to take a quick shower, hoping the kids weren’t still asleep and maybe had found their way out of bed and started getting dressed. It was a long shot, but it would be nice to not be in a rush for once. Bard didn’t expect miracles, just for the kids to actually try to sort themselves out without him having to intervene and take over.

Bard finished his shower as quickly as possible, drying his hair with the towel as he got dressed for work. He put his damp hair up in a messy knot at the back of his head, eyeing himself in the mirror to make sure he didn’t look like he was still asleep. He looked half-asleep, not bad.

The sounds of rustling could be heard as Bard made his way down the hall, stopping at Bain’s room and slowly opening the door. His son was sitting up in his bed, rubbing his eyes as he squinted at Bard and sunk back down under the covers.

“Do I have to, Da?” Bain asked wearily, hiding his face under the blankets.

“Yes, you do. C’mon, get up!” Bard said, pulling the covers off his son and tossing some clothes in his direction. “Now get changed and go brush your teeth please.”

Once Bain was finally out of bed, Bard made his way to Sigrid and Tilda’s shared room, only to find the two girls still in their beds, sound asleep.

“Girls! Up you get!” Bard called, walking over to rouse his daughters from their deep sleep.

Hopefully Bain hadn’t gone back to bed. Bard was praying internally that his son had actually got dressed in the clothes he had set out for him, and was now in the bathroom brushing his teeth like Bard had requested.

Bard scooped Tilda from her bed, the little girl grumbling lightly and yawning in his ear as he proceeded to find something for her to wear.

“Sig, time to wake up.” Bard called over his shoulder as he was rummaging through the girls’ closet.

He finally settled on a pair of pink leggings with a shirt that had a monkey on it for Tilda; she was his little monkey after all. Bard helped her get dressed, brushed her hair and did his absolute best to not mess up to two pigtails he was attempting to put in her hair, despite all her squirming.

He figured it would be easier to get Tilda ready first before waking Sigrid up. Of all three of his kids, Tilda was definitely the worst at waking up in the morning. Sigrid, on the other hand, was usually the quickest. She was old enough to get dressed on her own and pick out her own outfit without Bard’s assistance.

After Tilda was ready and reluctantly made her way to the bathroom, Bard made an attempt to get Sigrid out of bed.

“C’mon honeybee, let’s get up.” Bard said gently, sitting down on the edge of the bed and pulling the covers off his daughter who just moaned sleepily in response.

“We’re gonna be late. You don’t want to be late for school.” Bard tried again.

“I don’t want to go to school!” Sigrid finally said, sighing heavily as she sat up and brushed the stray hairs out of her face.

“Why not?” Bard asked. “You love school.”

“Jenna doesn’t want to be friends anymore!” Sigrid pouted and threw herself back down into the pillows dramatically.

“Aw, sweetie, I’m sure that’s not true. Jenna is your best friend.”

“But she’s mad at me.”

“You will work things out, darling. Everything will be fine.”

“What if she never wants to talk again?”

Bard swallowed the lump in his throat, the memories of his childhood best friend threatening to creep into his mind and take over his thoughts. He didn’t like to think about that.

“Sig, it won’t come to that. You two will make up.”

“What if she doesn’t want to though?” Sigrid pushed, arms crossed in front of her chest as she let out an audible huff of frustration.

“Well, sometimes friendships don’t last. That’s just life, darling.” Bard said hesitantly, not wanting to upset his daughter further. “It’s harsh, I know, but sometimes that’s the way it goes.”

“Then I’ll end up like you, Da, with no friends.”

“I have you guys, that’s all I need.”

Sigrid’s words were the truth. Bard knew that. He didn’t have any friends. Percy was a friend but not the kind of friend he could talk to about anything. Bard had gone through most of his adult life without anyone but himself to rely on, and that was the way he liked it. Or at least, the way he was used to. If he only had himself, then there would be no hurt, no one to leave him behind when they realized that he just wasn’t enough.

Years ago Bard had let himself grieve far too long over a lost friendship and all it did was cause him to build up his walls, never allowing anyone else in. Of course he met his wife, fell in love with her and lived happily while she was alive. But once she passed away, Bard was reluctant to open up to another human being. He had his children and they were all he really needed, he told himself. Why did he need adult company? Friends would only hurt you in the end; it was almost worse than the pain of a failed romantic relationship. And Bard was happy with his life the way it was.

“Did you have a best friend when you were my age, Da?” Sigrid asked, pulling Bard back into reality and pushing his thoughts to the back of his mind once again.

“Yes, honey, I did.” Bard answered, sounding monotone. He did not like talking about his childhood best friend.

“Are you still friends?” Sigrid questioned, finally deciding to pull herself from the warmth of her bed and start getting ready for school.

Bard didn’t want to discourage her with his story of lost friendship when she was feeling so vulnerable, but he would not lie to his daughter.

“No.” He said, drawing in a deep breath through his nose. “We stopped being friends in high school.”

“Why?” Sigrid chirped as she dug through her dresser drawers, quickly picking out a suitable outfit. Bard was glad she was getting ready for school and had stopped wallowing.

“We just grew apart.” Bard explained, although that was not the full truth, he didn’t want to tell his sweet, innocent daughter about how awful high school could be and how easily friends could turn on you if you weren’t considered _‘cool’_ by the popular kids. He just hoped high school wasn’t as bad these days as it was for him then. He feared that it may have only gotten worse though.

“That sucks, Da.” Sigrid sighed, getting herself dressed and pulling her hair into a ponytail. “Maybe you could try being friends again now that you’re both grown ups!”

“I wouldn’t even know where to find him. He’s probably long gone by now.” Bard said, finally standing up and shuffling out of the room with Sigrid in front of him.

“Aw, you should find him on the internet and be friends again!”

“It’s okay, sweetheart, I’m happy with you kids.”

After the kids had finished up in the bathroom, Bard corralled them downstairs and into the kitchen. He scrambled around trying to find something for them to eat for breakfast. They were already going to be late so Bard did not have time to prepare and proper breakfast for them like he usually did on the weekends.

Tilda was following Bard closely like she was his shadow; always trying to help out but only managing to get in the way. Nonetheless, her enthusiasm made Bard smile.

“Til, please, sit down honey.” Bard mumbled as he pecked around in the cupboard and the fridge in a frantic search, much the same way Bain was digging around in his backpack.

There were toys strewn about the entire house, books piled up in various corners, and homework spread across the kitchen table from the night before.

“Bain, your homework is still on the table where you left it.” Bard mused, guessing that was what his son was searching for in his bag.

Bain grumbled and grabbed his homework from the table, shoving it harshly into his bag as Sigrid retrieved hers and put it neatly into a purple folder.

“Sig, banana for you.” Bard called out robotically, handing over the fruit.

“Thanks, Da. I’ll eat it in the car. I’m ready!” Sigrid said as she swiped the banana from her father’s hand.

“Bain, cereal.” He passed his son a mini box of cereal and proceeded to find something for Tilda, who was certainly the fussiest of the three.

“No milk?” Bain asked in shock, his little nose scrunching up at the thought of dry rice crispies.

“Nope. No milk, no time!”

“Da! I’ll have oreos!” Tilda yelled earnestly as she held up the box of cookies and waved them around.

“No oreos! Tilda, c’mon now, that’s not breakfast!” Bard cried, exasperated by his daughter’s persistence.

“But they taste yummy, Da!” Tilda explained, a big pout forming on her lips.

“They may taste yummy, but they are not for breakfast. You need something nutritious before you go to school.” Bard said, grabbing the box of oreos from his daughter’s hands and putting them back in the pantry.

“Okay. Toast with nutella! Please Da!” Tilda squealed in excitement.

At the mention of nutella, two other little voices piped up and started chanting for nutella as well.

“Guys, we don’t have time for this!” Bard groaned again.

He was extremely grateful that he had taken the extra time last night to pack the kids their lunches; otherwise they would never be out of the house at a decent time. Bard absently wondered if other families had this much trouble getting organized and out the door in the morning.

Tilda ended up settling for grapes and a cheese string. Bard didn’t bother eating anything himself, he knew he could just get Percy to do a food run when he got into the shop. And coffee; he needed coffee. He was practically running on empty right now. An espresso would surely revive him.

\--

Once Bard had dropped off all the kids at their respective schools, he made a mad dash to work so he wouldn’t be late, even though he knew that ship had already sailed – he was late and there was nothing he could do about it.

He pulled up to the garage exactly thirteen minutes late, and clocked in discreetly in hopes that no one would notice his tardiness.

Mondays always seemed to be the busiest at the garage. Bard unfortunately had to deal with the rude customers who would show up bright and early complaining about how they shouldn’t be closed on a Sunday. Bard constantly had to bite his tongue when dealing with customers like that. He needed a day off too; he couldn’t be expected to bust his ass seven days a week while being a single father of three young children. That was nigh impossible, even for someone as hardworking and selfless as Bard. Sunday was Bard’s day with the kids and no one could take that away from him.

The staleness of the air found its way down into Bard’s lungs, causing him to cough far more than was normal for any healthy person. Working at Dale’s Autoshop was definitely not what he had aspired to do when he was young. This wasn’t the plan. Thankfully, he didn’t hate his job, and he was good at what he did so it brought about a confidence in him that little else could.

He tried his best to muster up a smile, despite how unnaturally tired he was. Eventually, Bard got back into the routine of working after his much too short weekend. And in spite of his exhaustion, he was genuinely happy to help out and give his co-workers any advice on problems that they didn’t know how to fix. Bard had easily become the go-to guy around the shop and he didn’t really mind. It was nice to be useful and it made him feel good that others relied on his knowledge.

Fortunately, it was busy at the shop and time seemed to fly by.

Bard didn’t even get to take his full lunch hour, which somewhat irked him. He knew he wouldn’t get paid for working the extra half hour, but what could he do? He didn’t want to be stuck at work past closing time again. He had to keep to his schedule. The kids needed to be picked up from the babysitters by six o’clock, no ifs ands or buts about it.

Bard was busy checking the brake lines running from the master cylinder to each wheel of an old Buick when Percy announced that there was only an hour left before closing time. Bard sighed in relief, glad that the day was soon over. His back was sore from all the strenuous labour and he just wanted to get home and take a nice hot shower and jump into bed.

Once the fluid in the master cylinder was full, the brake components were checked and the wheels were put back onto the car, Bard washed his hands and smiled to himself, knowing that he had finished everything for the day. He would actually be able to get out of here on time.

“Bard?” Percy called from the front of the shop.

“Yeah? What’s up?” Bard replied, drying off his hands and tossing the paper towel into the trash bin.

“Another customer.” Percy whispered, clearly disgruntled by the fact that someone had shown up so close to closing time. “Rich guy, by the looks of it.”

“I’ll handle it.” Bard said, never one for turning a customer away.

He sauntered over to where a tall man was leaning against what appeared to be a Bentley. A fucking Bentley Continental GT if Bard was seeing correctly. Never before had anyone come into the shop with such a luxurious vehicle. Bard was awe-struck actually being able to witness such an expensive car up close.

“Hello, how can I help you?” Bard called out, causing the tall man to turn around swiftly.

“Ah, hello. I was beginning to think I was being ignored.” The man said, eyeing Bard up and down. The man was wearing a black pinstripe suit and had shoulder length sandy brown hair and his face was etched into a permanent scowl.

“Sorry, just finishing up another job. What can I do for you?” Bard asked, putting on his most courteous smile.

“Isn’t it obvious?” The man glowered, “Something is wrong with my boss’s car and I need you to fix it as soon as possible.”

Ah, so this man didn’t actually own the fancy car, he was just bringing it in for his boss. If this man, who was only an assistant, was dressed in such expensive clothes, Bard was curious to see what his boss would look like.

“Okay, let me have a look.” Bard said, walking over towards the car carefully. “I’ll have to start up the engine.”

“I supposed you’ll need the keys.”

“Yes, thank you.” Bard said, taking the keys from the man’s elegant hand and not daring to make eye contact. Rich people always made him feel somewhat inferior and uneasy.

Bard opened the car door and turned on the engine, still standing, not actually wanting to sit in the seat for fear of getting the interior dirty with the grease from his pants.

“So, it looks like the check engine light is on, which means I’ll have to run further diagnostics to find out what the problem is.” Bard explained.

“Then, I suggest you do that.” The man said, raising his eyebrows.

Bard groaned internally. “I’ll be right back.”

He went to fetch a scanner so he could figure out what the problem was. Percy was finishing up a job as Bard walked over.

“So?” Percy asked.

“Yes, rich guy.” Bard said, knowing exactly what Percy was thinking.

“Wonder what someone like that is doing in this shit town?” Percy chuckled.

“It’s not his car. He’s just bringing it in for his boss.” Bard explained, laughing along with Percy.

“Oh shit. You know that car is worth over 250 grand, right?”

“I know. Bentley Continental GT. What I would give to own a vehicle like that!”

“Better not keep him waiting, then.”

“Hopefully it’s a quick fix.” Bard said, walking away with the scanner and shooting Percy an annoyed look.

Bard scanned the vehicle as quickly as possible, hating the fact that he may not actually get to leave on time like he originally thought he would. The diagnostics code came up as P0300, which let Bard know that it was a random engine misfire. Bard would have to check each cylinder before he could figure out which one was causing the problem and then go from there. He knew this could take over an hour to do. He let out an audible sigh.

“What is the problem?” The man questioned.

“Random engine misfire.” Bard said, hoping that would make sense.

“Which means?”

“I’ll have to check each cylinder...”

“How long will that take?” The man asked, his tone becoming more and more impatient.

“Could take up to two hours.”

“Great. Just great!” The man sighed, throwing up his hands and clutching the sides of his head.

“Since we close in less than half an hour you are welcome to leave the car here and I can have it ready in the morning for, let’s say… eleven?” Bard suggested, hoping he wasn’t causing the man too much of an inconvenience

“That should be fine, I guess.”

“Great. I’ll have everything fixed by tomorrow.”

“I appreciate it.” The man said, holding out his hand hesitantly to shake Bard’s.

“Not a problem.” Bard smiled, shaking the rich man’s gloved hand.

“I must warn you though. I will not be able to pick up the vehicle tomorrow. You will have to deal with my boss, Mr. Greenwood. He may not be as…accommodating as I.”

“I’m sure I can handle it.” Bard assured the man, although he was a bit worried to have to meet the owner of the expensive car. Hopefully he wasn’t a complete prick.

“I hope you can. For your own sake.” The man smirked.

Bard watched the man walk outside into the frigid air, fingers moving fast on the screen of his phone. He was most likely calling a cab, or another assistant to come pick him up.

Luckily, Bard had given himself enough time to finish the job on the Bentley in the morning, so he could actually close up the shop on time and not be late picking up the kids.

On his drive to the babysitters, he kept imagining what the ‘boss’ would look like. What kind of suit will he be wearing? How expensive will his leather gloves be? Will he judge the way Bard is dressed? Will he really be as bad as his assistant made him out to be? Bard had never met a truly wealthy person before. No one in Laketown was wealthy by any means.

His curiosity got the better of him as his mind supplied him with images of this rich person he would have to deal with tomorrow and he only hoped he would not get bitched at or made to look like a fool.

Bard had no patience for assholes. None at all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bard meets the elusive 'rich man'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, have a present!

Getting himself and the kids ready took a lot less time and effort on a Tuesday morning compared to a Monday. On Monday’s no one had the drive to wake up or get back into the regular work or school routine, but by the time Tuesday rolled around, Bard and the kids easily fell into a comfortable schedule. Wake up, shower, get dressed, make sure the kids are up and ready, make breakfast, and check that the kids have all their homework packed before heading out the door. It became second nature and Bard was grateful that. For the most part, his children were independent enough to brush their teeth and wash their faces without his assistance. He really did feel blessed to have such wonderful kids.

Outside it was brisk and chilly, typical for January in Laketown. Bard made sure the kids were bundled up nice and warm before they trekked out into the harsh winter air. Bard had never enjoyed winter, it had always been his least favourite season, but luckily it hadn’t snowed in a while so he didn’t have to worry about the chore of shoveling the driveway.

Once all the kids were dropped off at school, Bard made his way to work. He stopped to pick up a coffee and a bagel and of course felt guilty about spending money when he really could’ve just made coffee and a bagel at home.

Percy was already in the shop sitting at his workbench eating an orange.

“Morning, Bard.”

“Morning.”

Once Bard had clocked in, he didn’t waste any time before starting his work.

Eleven o’clock approached rather fast; Bard had spent the better part of the morning repairing the rich man’s Bentley so that he could have it ready on time. He didn’t want to make the elusive man wait any longer than he needed to.

During the repairs Bard had grumbled and groaned to himself (and out loud a few times) about how fortunate this man was to have such a vehicle and the lifestyle that no doubt went along with it. Percy must have detected the annoyance in Bard’s tone and bemoaned the rich man as well. What a douchebag he must be. Really, it was just their jealousy. Bard knew that. He wished for such an easy life - not only for himself, but for his children. He fantasized about what it would be like to be a millionaire.

When he was finished, Bard washed his hands thoroughly, trying his best to scrub out the permanent grease stains that were embedded in his skin. Despite being known to ‘not give a shit’, Bard was a little apprehensive about having to deal with this man, and worried that he may end up offending the rich man with his grungy appearance. He very uncharacteristically checked himself out in the mirror before heading out to the front of the shop where the man would most likely be waiting for him. Unfortunately today it was just him and Percy working at the shop; Luciano had called in sick that morning so there was currently no one out front.

It was two minutes past eleven and Bard hoped the rich man had not been waiting too long.

As he pushed open the doors he immediately noticed a tall silhouette standing near the front entrance facing away from Bard. Was this the infamous rich asshole he had been expecting? From what Bard saw he did not look terribly wealthy. He was wearing tight black jeans, a long trench coat with what must be a hoodie underneath, seeing as he had a hood pulled up covering the back of his head.

Bard stopped dead in his tracks as the man pushed back his hood revealing almost white-blonde hair which he pulled from the back of his coat, letting the long strands cascade elegantly over his broad shoulders. The man shook his head causing the flaxen tresses to swish gently about his head. The waterfall of long blonde hair caused Bard’s breath to catch as he swallowed the lump in his throat and began retreating back into the garage, silently closing the doors behind him before his presence would be noticed.

_Shit. This could not be happening._

There was only one person in the world he knew who had hair like that. The thought sent a chill up his spine as he quietly crept back over to where Percy was standing, taking a drink from his cup of coffee.

Bard finally let out a rattled breath before Percy gave him a strange look.

“What on earth’s got you so shaken?” Percy asked, raising an eyebrow at Bard conspicuously. Bard knew he must look like a deer caught in the headlights, but right now he was unable to stop his brain from shouting at him.

_‘It’s him!’_ His brain supplied. _‘That ‘rich man’ used to be your best friend!’_

And of course Bard’s immediate instinct was to hide.

“I-I think I know the rich Bentley owner…” Bard finally said, voice coming out much shakier than he had hoped.

“So?”

“I can’t face him, Perce, you go out there and deal with him.”

“I’m busy with this piece of junk.” Percy said gesturing to the car he was working on. “You do it. He’s your customer. I dunno what you did to his car.” Percy shrugged.

“Ugh, fine.” Bard groaned. It was rather unlike him to be acting like such a coward.

“C’mon Bard. He’s just a person, like you or me.”

“He’s not a person. He’s some other sort of being altogether.” Bard sighed. He really did not want to deal with his old best friend.

“Fuck it. Just do what you always do. Who cares who he is, who cares if his car is worth more than your house? Fuck it.”

“Okay, okay!” Bard said, giving up. He inhaled a huge breath before exhaling out all of his nervous energy.

_He’s just a person. He probably won’t even remember you. It’s not like you mattered to him. He forgot you long ago. Suck it up._

Bard shook his entire body, trying to rid himself of this unwanted anxiety.

_‘Just a person. Whatever. He won’t even remember you.’_ Bard kept repeating to himself like an overused, useless mantra as he strode back to the front of the shop with as much confidence as he could muster.

He pushed open the doors with more force than he needed to before he finally spoke.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr.--” Bard started, trying desperately to not let his voice expose how uneasy he truly felt.

“Greenwood. Thran--” The blonde man began as he turned around to face Bard. He suddenly stopped speaking, eyes growing wide as a look of realization took over his face, freezing all his beautiful features in an expression of pure awe.

_God. Those fucking dreamy blue eyes._ Bard remembered them far too well. He wished he could have forgotten.

“Thranduil.” Bard said quietly, his voice barely a whisper as he took in the glorious sight before him. Just as gorgeous as he was in high school; as if he hadn’t aged at all in the past twelve years.

“B-Bard? No way.” Thranduil spoke breathily, almost to himself. He blinked a few times, clearly surprised at who he was seeing.

“Yeah.” Bard replied. He felt like he was in a dream, like his entire body was floating and the only thought occupying his mind was drenched in pure fear. He wanted to run, his body telling him he needed to escape this uncomfortable situation. A typical fight or flight response that he had no idea how to handle without looking like an idiot.

_He actually remembers. It would’ve been better if he didn’t_ , Bard thought to himself.

“Is it really you?” Thranduil asked, his cold features softening slightly as the beginning of a smile crept unto his face.

“Yeah.”

“You work here?”

“Yes.” Bard said robotically, keeping to his one word responses, unable to extricate any other words from his vocabulary.

Thranduil hummed in acknowledgement but Bard had barely registered the sound. He had lost all ability at proper communication. His speech was limited. His brain had finally shut down. He always knew it would happen one day, he just thought it wouldn’t be until he was an old man.

They stood in front of each other for a few moments without saying anything at all, merely staring at one another. Bard wondered if Thranduil was also at a loss for words, or if he was alone in his bewilderment. Thranduil was probably uncomfortable seeing someone from the past that he had tried so hard to distance himself from. He was probably just trying to figure out a way to get out of this situation as quickly as possible. The bitter side of Bard hoped that Thranduil did feel uncomfortable. It was hard not to hold a grudge against someone who had hurt him so.

“I can’t believe it’s really you.” Thranduil finally said. Bard wasn’t sure he would say anything, but his words were somehow reassuring.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“You’re still living in Laketown then?”

“Yeah, still here.” Bard said, unsure why Thranduil was trying to make small talk. Thranduil had always hated small talk and was the master of avoiding it at all costs.

The blonde smiled softly at Bard, cracking his fingers, something Bard remembered that Thranduil only did when he was truly nervous.

“So, the Bentley…it’s yours I’m guessing?” Bard said getting back to the reason for Thranduil’s appearance at the shop. He was here to pick up his car; he wasn’t here to catch up with Bard. It was just a very awkward coincidence.

“Yes. Did you manage to fix it?”

“Yup, everything’s in working order.” Bard said, grabbing a clipboard from the front desk and writing up Thranduil’s bill.

“Good. Thank you.” Thranduil said, pulling out his wallet in preparation to pay.

Bard rang up the total on the cash register at the front desk after keying in the proper amount and Thranduil paid using a very prestigious looking credit card. It was matte black. It must be one of those cards specifically meant for the very wealthy; not just anyone could get a credit card like that.

After Thranduil had put his credit card back into his wallet, and his wallet back into his pocket, Bard half expected him to just leave without another word, but that was not the case. The blonde man stood there for a few seconds looking down at the ground as he fiddled with the hem of his coat sleeves.

“How are you, Bard? It’s been a very long time.” Thranduil said meekly, as if the normally confident man was somehow unsure of his own voice.

Bard was caught off guard by the simple question. How was he? He didn’t even know what to say. Did he tell Thranduil that he was fine, that everything was good? Or did he try to update him on the last twelve years of his life?

“It has been a long time. I’m doing well, thanks. How have you been?” Bard eventually said. It felt strange to actually be speaking to his former best friend in such a manner; as though they were strangers, as though they hadn’t known each other as intimately as they had.

“I’m well. Thank you.” Thranduil smiled. Bard attempted to smile.

He didn’t know why Thranduil was bothering to entertain him. All Bard could think about was the steady thumping of his heartbeat in his chest and his awful sweaty palms that he kept rubbing on his pants. The fact that Thranduil still had the ability to make him tense and anxious was extremely maddening.

“That’s good. I thought you didn’t live around here anymore.” Bard said, cursing himself internally for continuing the conversation when it could’ve been over and he could’ve been back to work on another car by now. He was worried that Percy would soon come and check to make sure he was still alive if he didn’t get back soon.

“I don’t. I’m just back to visit. Still have family around these parts.” Thranduil explained, stuffing his hands into his pockets and shifting his weight so that it appeared he was floating back and forth.

“Oh.” Bard replied. He couldn’t think of anything else to say and desperately wanted to extract himself from this painfully awkward situation, even though his heart screamed at him to keep talking to Thranduil.

He had always dreamed of a confrontation like this. He had fantasized many, _many_ times about what he would say to Thranduil if he ever had the chance. He played out the scenarios far too many times in his head when he lay in bed at night unable to sleep, and in every scenario he was always yelling at Thranduil, telling the blonde how much of an asshole he was for treating him in such a cruel way. Now that Thranduil was actually in front of him, smiling that infuriatingly stunning smile, Bard found that he could do nothing but stare helplessly and surrender to his own kindness. His fantasies were fantasies for a reason – he would never actually be so rude in real life.

“Sorry if I’m making you uncomfortable.” Thranduil said, pulling Bard back to the present.

“Oh, no, no. You’re not. I’m just shocked that you’re here, that’s all.” Bard said, hoping his voice didn’t give away his obvious discomfort.

“I can see that.” Thranduil chuckled.

“Well, you were the last person I expected to see today.” Bard confessed.

“I bet.”

“Kinda took me by surprise is all. Honestly never thought I’d see you again in my life.”

“I know.”

“I still remember the last thing you said to me.” Bard blurted unable to stop himself from saying the words, and immediately regretting that he had spoken them the second they left his mouth.

Thranduil blinked a few times and pursed his lips before sighing audibly and locking his gaze back to the ground. “I am sorry, Bard.” The words that left his lips were not at all what Bard had expected to hear. Thranduil grimaced before continuing. “Really. I apologize for the way I treated you back then. It was wrong and I have no excuse. I was a horrible person and you did not deserve it.”

“It was high school, Thran. Don’t worry about it.” Bard said, waving off Thranduil’s apology. Oh god, Bard’s eyes grew wide when he realized that he had just called Thranduil _‘Thran’_. He hadn’t spoken that nickname in so long, yet it rolled off his tongue like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“But I am sorry. High school or not, it was wrong. I was wrong.” Thranduil smiled, albeit self-depreciatingly. He was beautiful. Those eyes could light up an entire room. Bard had to look away for fear of being blinded.

“Well, thank you.”

“Thran?” The blonde smirked. Bard could feel the blush rising on his cheeks.

“Sorry. Old habits.”

“Don’t be sorry. You were the only one I let call me that.”

Bard swallowed hard, feeling as though the pounding in his chest would soon consume him entirely. He smiled weakly at Thranduil, hoping his embarrassment wasn’t too apparent.

“Bowman! Did you get abducted?! What’re you doing out there?” Bard’s head snapped around when he heard Percy’s voice. How long had he been standing there with Thranduil? Time seemed to have slowed down when he was in Thranduil’s presence.

“I’m here!” Bard called out over his shoulder before looking back to Thranduil. “Sorry. I guess I’m needed.”

“Yes, of course. Sorry to keep you.”

“It was nice seeing you again, Thranduil.”

“Yes. Nice seeing you, Bard.”

Bard turned his body slowly, it was almost as though his feet were glued to the floor and he couldn’t move. His legs felt heavy. He wanted a reason not to say goodbye to Thranduil. He wanted a reason to continue talking to him.

He couldn’t think of anything else to say. All he could do now was turn and walk away.

“Bard…” Thranduil said, stopping Bard in his tracks. His heart picked up again at the sound of his name coming from those pretty lips. Bard shook his head, what was he thinking? He wasn’t allowed to have such thoughts about his old best friend. Unacceptable is what it was.

“Yeah?”

“Would you maybe…” Thranduil began but quickly trailed off.

“Maybe what?”

_Thump, thump, thump._

Bard could hear his heart in his ears.

“Maybe…I don’t know... get lunch sometime, with me?” Thranduil said, pulling his gaze from the ground so he could look into Bard’s eyes. “Only if you want, though. No pressure.”

“No, I’d love to! Of course.” Bard replied. He knew he sounded a little too over-zealous, but it was too late to take back his words now.

“Great.” Thranduil smiled, pulling out his wallet again and fishing out what appeared to be a business card. He handed it to Bard quickly and then stopped to pull something else out of his wallet. Bard couldn’t see what Thranduil was handing to him this time.

Could it be money? No, Thranduil had already paid with his fancy credit card.

The blonde pressed his hand into Bard’s, shaking it before pulling away and leaving what felt like a crumpled bill in Bard’s hand.

“For your hard work on my car.” Thranduil said, smiling softly before turning around and heading to where Bard had left his car for him.

“Uh, thanks.”

“Call me, Bard.” Thranduil called out, winking at Bard before getting into his expensive car.

“Okay.” Bard replied, more mouthing the word than actually making the sound.

Before Bard could look at what Thranduil had given him, Percy appeared beside him.

“What was that?”

“That,” Bard began, motioning his hands, “was my high school best friend.”

“No way. What’d he give you?”

“You were watching?” Bard rolled his eyes.

“Of course.”

Bard unclenched his fist revealing the business card and a bill. A hundred dollar bill.

“Shit! He tipped you a hundred bucks?”

“I can’t accept this!” Bard griped. He hated feeling like a charity case. He couldn’t accept one hundred dollars as a tip!

“Too bad he wasn’t my customer. I’d have no problem accepting it.”

“Only because you have no morals.”

“Think of it as a gift.”

“A very generous gift---” Bard said, his expression still rather awe-struck. “---which I cannot accept!”

“Bah humbug.” Percy groaned, patting Bard on the shoulder as he walked to the back of the shop, leaving Bard standing in the same spot he had been stuck in for almost ten minutes now.

Bard shook his head as he looked down at the hundred dollar bill in his hand. He couldn’t take this much money from Thranduil. He didn’t feel like it would be right. It was pity money. Although it would definitely help with the cost of groceries for the week…

But, no, Bard had to rectify this immediately. Now he really had a reason to contact Thranduil.

He observed the business card, twirling it between his thumb and index finger, flipping it over so he could see what was printed on it.

Yet again his breath caught in his throat as he read the small delicate print.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Comments and kudos = Love <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thranduil goes back to the hotel, worries about his encounter with Bard, and prepares himself for a visit with family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy cow. 
> 
> So I haven't updated this in forever, but here I am!
> 
> It's not very long but I hope you enjoy :)

After leaving his car with the valet, Thranduil headed inside the hotel lobby and out of the cold. He was too wound up to even think about heading up to his room now. He had work to do but it could wait. He sauntered over towards the bar, spotting his assistant, Galion, sitting on a stool nursing a beverage.

Thranduil slid onto the empty stool beside Galion. He sighed when Galion glanced in his direction and shook his head. Thranduil ignored the head shake; Galion always shook his head at Thranduil, this was nothing new. Thranduil waved over the bartender and proceeded to order Glenfiddich on ice. Double shot. He needed a drink badly.

Seeing his childhood best friend earlier had brought up a lot of repressed memories. Good memories, bad memories and other memories that he would rather leave untouched. He took a languid sip of his drink as his encounter with Bard replayed over and over in his mind. Fucking Bard Bowman still looking as handsome as he did in high school. It was enough to drive Thranduil insane. As he gulped down his whisky, he began to fret about his actions. Now that Thranduil thought about it, it was probably a bad idea to give Bard a hundred dollar bill, even if it was a tip. It seemed rude now that he considered it. It wasn’t his intention to make Bard feel bad, but that was likely what he had done by giving him money as if he was a charity case.

“So…” The sound of his assistant’s voice drew him back to the present. “Did you get what you wanted?”

“Hmm?” Thranduil hummed, looking up from his now empty glass.

“That was him, right? You saw him. You know he’s still here.” Galion said, not looking at Thranduil as he spoke. “Let’s get out of this fucking shit town.”

“I haven’t even gotten to visit my family yet. So we are not going. And I already told you, you can do whatever you want. You are not on duty. You are not here to work. So do your own thing for the next few days.”

“You mean sit around in a filthy disease-ridden hotel room while you go out and try to win back your high school crush?” Galion snarked.

“Who works for who here? I will cut your pay if you continue mouthing off.” Thranduil warned, waving down the bartender once again for a refill. He wasn’t about to start putting up with Galion’s shit when he was supposed to be taking time off to visit family.

“I’m just concerned that this isn’t going to end well.”

“I don’t need your concern. I’ll be fine. I can handle myself.” Thranduil dismissed, his tone of voice growing more annoyed with each passing second. He couldn’t be near Galion any longer.

He needed time alone to think. He chugged down his second drink without pause. He could feel Galion’s eyes judging him as he downed his alcohol, but he didn’t care. Thranduil slammed the glass onto the bar and made his way to the elevator.

Thranduil swiped the card to open the door and threw off his jacket as soon as he stepped into the room. He kicked off his shoes and walked over to the bed, sinking down onto the stiff mattress. The last time he had been back home was over three years ago. He hadn’t left on the best terms. His father was appalled by his lifestyle choices and his brother seemed to be even more brainwashed than he was the previous time Thranduil had visited.

His brother, Legolas, had called him a few weeks ago, asking if he would like to come visit for a while. Thranduil had been putting it off for a long time, coming up with excuses as to why he could not visit them. This time though, Legolas had spoken of Bard still being in town which seemed to catch Thranduil’s interest more than he would care to admit. It was rare for Legolas to venture into the main part of town; never before had he mentioned Bard. Thranduil thought all this time that his former best friend must have moved away. But he hadn’t, he had been here all this time.

Thranduil’s father, Oropher, lived a few miles out of town, deep in the woods. He owned acres of land that he used for hunting, fishing and other activities that Thranduil would rather not know about. Legolas still lived with Oropher; he had never bothered to move out when their mother passed away a few years ago. Legolas had taken to hunting with his father and working for the family business. It maddened Thranduil that his little brother was becoming exactly like their father, but Thranduil was hardly the person to intervene and try to save his brother from the life he had chosen.

Tomorrow, Thranduil had planned to go out into the ‘boonies’, as he called it, and pay Oropher and Legolas a visit. He only hoped his father would not raise anymore questions about his sexuality or his dietary choices. It was Thranduil’s confession about his sexuality three years ago that had caused such a rift between him and his father. Oropher had been horrified when Thranduil finally admitted that he was gay, going on about the bible and how Thranduil was a sinner and would inevitably burn in hell. Oropher kept pushing him to find a nice country girl and get married. Because, of course, Thranduil only thought he was attracted to men because he hadn’t found the right woman yet. Thranduil had risen just as much of a stir when he told his father that he was vegan. It was hard to tell which Oropher despised more; the fact that Thranduil was gay, or the fact that he did not consume animal products.

During the three years since Thranduil had last been in town, he hadn’t even spoken to his father on the phone. Legolas acted as a sort of mediator between Thranduil and Oropher, always trying to sort out their issues for them so the family could come together again and be as they had been when they were children.

It was funny to think back on his childhood now. Thranduil could not remember a time when Bard wasn’t at his side. Bard had always gotten along well with Thranduil’s family. Oropher liked Bard because of his work ethic, and Thranduil’s mother had appreciated how respectful he was, but Oropher had always harbored distaste for Bard’s family because they did not have a lot of money and didn’t own any land. It was a stupid reason to dislike them, but Thranduil had never been able to understand his father’s reasoning.

 When they were children, Thranduil and Bard would spend hours hiding out in various deer blinds that Oropher had set up around their property. They would climb trees, swim in the lake and even try to hunt down the small lizards that sometimes made homes in the old shed behind the house. Thranduil had even taken to calling Bard the ‘dragonslayer’ because he had killed one of the bigger lizards using Oropher’s longbow.

It was crazy to think how much things had changed over the years. Thranduil had thought these changes in his life would be for the better, but they seemed to have made all his relationships more strained.

He let his head fall back onto the pillow as a deep groan escaped his lips. He was really not looking forward to seeing his father tomorrow. He was happy he would finally see Legolas again, but having to deal with his father was going to cause him a lot more stress than he needed.

It wasn’t even past one o’clock yet, but Thranduil wormed his way out of his clothes, and decided to take a short nap. He set his phone alarm to wake him up in a little over an hour and then crawled under the covers, making an attempt to get comfortable in the unfamiliar bed.

Thranduil closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of the cool sheets against his skin. He fell asleep quickly, the alcohol he had consumed working its magic and pulling him into a deep slumber.

When the alarm roused him, Thranduil turned it off with haste and let his eyes fall shut again. He dozed for another hour or more, only waking up when his stomach alerted him that he should probably eat something.

He dressed, brushed his hair and slipped on his shoes as he made his way out of his room and down to the hotel restaurant. He didn’t feel like going out to eat, so he would suffer with whatever they were serving here at the hotel. Thranduil had eaten all sorts of strange food in his life; he could survive a little crappy hotel food. Although, being a vegan meant that it may be difficult to find something suitable. Salad was Thranduil’s go-to meal. As long as there were no anchovies in the dressing. Most times he wouldn’t bother with dressing, instead opting to eat his salad with just a drizzle of lemon juice.

He ended up ordering a vegetable soup, having to be reassured a few times by the hotel staff that the soup did not contain chicken or beef broth, or any other animal products or by-products. He could feel the glares from the staff every time he asked questions about the food, but he didn’t give a fuck. He needed to be 100% sure. Along with his soup, he ordered a side of bread, shaking his head at the waiter when they brought out butter for him as well. He pushed the butter aside and dipped his bread into the soup to help take away the dryness. It wasn’t the best food he had ever eaten, but it wasn’t horrible. At least it wasn’t squirrel.

After Thranduil finished eating, he went back up to his room and busied himself answering e-mails and sketching out new designs. Even when he took time off it seemed he could never stop working. He hated having nothing to do. And sitting around worrying about whether or not Bard would call was not how he wanted to spend his night. Why hadn’t he asked Bard for his number so he could contact him instead of waiting around for Bard to make the first move? Thinking about it, Thranduil figured Bard would probably not even want to contact him. Not with the way Thranduil had treated him in the past. Sure, Thranduil had apologized today when they talked briefly, but one simple apology was not going to fix years of hurt. Thranduil knew that, but still, he hoped that Bard would give him another chance and they could reconnect.

When Thranduil’s hand had become sore from sketching, he went into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for bed. There was nothing else to do in this town on a Tuesday night. So he figured he’d head to bed early so he could get a good night’s sleep. He would need the extra rest for tomorrow. He didn’t want his patience to wear thin with his father. He hoped they could at least pretend to get along. He also wanted to go out and explore the land. Thranduil had always loved nature and he wanted to go out to all old hide outs and maybe take a walk down to the lake with Legolas for a picnic.

After he finished showering and drying off, he got into bed and messed around on his phone for a while before finally turning out the light and letting sleep take him.

The next morning came too fast, the alarm blaring and jolting Thranduil into an upright position in bed. He groaned, rubbing his eyes and hitting snooze on the alarm. Another ten minutes of rest wouldn’t hurt. It was only eight o’clock. He had planned to go out to see his father and Legolas at around eleven. It would take close to an hour to get to his father’s land from where the hotel was located in town. So a few more minutes of sleep was fine.

***

“C’mon, Thran! Hurry up!”

“Yeah, I’m coming, I’m coming. Hold on!”

“This weather’s not gonna last! Get your ass out here!”

Bard was yelling at him from outside his window, the fumes from the four-wheeler seeping into Thranduil’s room. Thranduil tied off his braid, grabbed a button-down flannel shirt and headed to the door.

“Coming!” He yelled, thundering down the front steps. He ran towards Bard who was sitting on the back of the four-wheeler, sipping at a large jug of iced tea.

“Finally! It’s supposed to rain in a few hours. And your parents will be home soon. So we better get going.”

“My dad will kill you if he finds out you’re driving his four-wheeler.”

“That’s why we gotta go now.”

“I can’t believe you, Bard!” Thranduil laughed. “You got our lunch?”

“All packed. Now let’s go before your popular friends find out you’re still hanging out with a loser like me.”

“Oh, stop! You know I hate them, right?”

“Yeah, you’re doing a fine job of showing it, princess.” Bard said, sliding forward on the seat so Thranduil could take the spot behind him.

“It’s called acting. And don’t call me princess.”

“Oh, Thran. You’re the biggest princess I know.”

“Just wait until I show you what I learned to do with the long bow.” Thranduil snickered.

“I better be impressed.”

“You will be. So stop at the shed so we can get some things before we head out.”

“’Kay.” Bard started the engine and they flew towards the shed.

Thranduil fetched the long bow and a quiver full of hand carved arrows.

“Won’t your dad be pissed if you use his arrows?”

“He didn’t whittle these for nothing. We are merely going to put them to use.”

He snaked his arms around Bard’s waist once Bard got the four-wheeler going. It was fast and bumpy and Thranduil held on tight, his heart hammering away in his chest. His heart always did this whenever he was with Bard; it wasn’t just the adrenaline. It was Bard.

But Thranduil would never admit that to himself. He and Bard had been best friends since they were in kindergarten. He couldn’t possibly have a crush on Bard. No, it he didn’t like Bard in that way. Not at all. Not even a little bit.

When they finally arrived at the deer blind, they hopped off the four-wheeler and grabbed their things.

“Want me to set up a target?” Bard asked. He put the lunch bag into the deer blind and regarded Thranduil with a quirked brow. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I’ll make sure the bow is strung properly.”

“Don’t want to lose an eye.” Bard laughed, running to a tree a few metres away.

“Farther than that!”

“Okay. Gotcha. How about here?” Bard asked, pointing to a larger tree about forty metres away.

“Yeah, let’s start with that.” Thranduil agreed.

Bard found a decent sized log. He took a rope from his back pocket and tied it securely around the log. Then he climbed the tree and strung the rope so the log was suspended.

He raced back over to Thranduil. The bow was strung and Thranduil was practicing his posture and aim.

“Let’s see what the princess of the forest can do.” Bard grinned.

“Warm up shots first. So don’t judge.”

“No, no. Never. Go for it.”

Thranduil fired a few practice shots, not doing too badly before he took on a serious expression and let himself fall into a focused trance.

“Ha! See that! Right in the center of the log!” Thranduil exclaimed, dropping the bow as he and Bard ran over to the target.

“Fucking right! That’s amazing. My turn!”

Thranduil retrieved the arrow and went back to watch Bard get in position to shoot.

“Don’t let my skill intimidate you, Bowman.”

“Not at all.” Bard smirked. “I live up to my last name.”

Bard took his stance, aimed and fired.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Thranduil gasped. Bard hit the center of the target on the first try! What the hell!

“Told you I live up to my last name!” Bard yelled as he fetched the arrow.

“Show off!”

The feeling hit Thranduil hard right then.

Kiss him.

_Kiss Bard._

***

He jolted into an upright position.

What the fuck.

He blinked a few times and finally it registered that he was in his hotel room.

Of course he would dream of Bard. But it hadn’t only been a dream. No, it was a memory. A very good memory from before his friendship with Bard had completely fallen apart.

He sighed. Why was he torturing himself like this? What possessed him to return to this shitty town and seek Bard out? He lied to himself saying he was here to see his father and brother, when really he was here to see Bard. Even Galion knew that without Thranduil having said a word about it.

It was just past nine, so Thranduil stood from the bed and went to get ready. He dressed in old torn up jeans and a Henley. He braided his hair over his shoulder and threw on an oversized hoodie.

It was time to make the drive to the boonies.

He fretted on the way there. How would his father react to seeing him after three years without contact? Did Legolas even tell their father that Thranduil was in town? How much had his little brother changed since their mother’s death? Why did Legolas even bother contacting him about Bard? Why did Legolas want so badly for Thranduil to know that his old best friend was still living in town? Did Legolas and Bard exchange words when they saw each other, or did Bard even recognize Legolas at all?

So many questions that needed answering.

He turned up the music, trying desperately to block the questions from his mind. He was already stressed enough about work. He shouldn’t be stressed about seeing his family.

The familiar dirt road appeared in the distance and Thranduil immediately noticed how much the trees and shrubs had grown since the last time he was here. He turned down the road, cringing at how bumpy it was even after all these years.

The old country home came into view and Thranduil’s breath caught. He could see his father sitting on the porch with someone else. It wasn’t Legolas. Thranduil recognized the man as one of their neighbors – an elderly man that Oropher used to go hunting with.

Two sets of eyes were staring in his direction. Thranduil swallowed the lump in his throat and put the car into park.

Fuck.

He was hoping Legolas would be the one to greet him, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. He would have to deal with his father first.

Thranduil slid out of the car, clutching the cup of Starbucks he had gotten before he left the hotel.

Oropher’s eyes were on him, brows furrowed into a judgmental grimace. Thranduil walked slowly towards the house, his heart racing with every step.

“Well, look what we’ve got here,” Oropher said. “My yuppie son from the city. What’s the occasion?”

Thranduil cleared his throat as he made his way slowly up the steps. “Just came by for a visit.”

“Oh?” Oropher’s eyes went wide, and then he looked to the man sitting next to him. “I suppose we should feel honored.”

Thranduil gulped.

Fuck.

This was going to be horrible.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos mean the world to me! <3


End file.
